Rocket-type line-throwing apparatus



Sept. 23, 1969 F. J. WORCESTER ET AL 3,468,214

ROCKET-TYPE LINE-THROWING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 26. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "iffy/M INVENTORS Francls J. worce sfer Michael D. Shoparo James L. Duda Sepit. 23, 1969 F. J. WORCESTER ET AL 3,

ROCKET-TYPE LINE'THROWING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1967 States ROCKET-TYPE LINE-THROWING APPARATUS Francis J. Worcester, La Plata, Michael D. Shapiro, Oxon Hill, and James L. Duda, Indian Head, Md., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Dec. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 693,397 Int. Cl. F41f 1/04 US. Cl. 89-1.8 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention The present invention generally relates to line-throwin apparatus and more particularly to a rocket propelled linethrowing apparatus for delivering the line to a distant location.

Various line-carrying rocket systems have been devised for delivering a trailing line or cable from a launching point to a distant target. An example of the type of devices now being used is disclosed by U.S. Patent Nos. 2,876,702 and 2,521,655. These devices are commonly used aboard ships in recovery-salvage operations in which it is necessary to connect a tow line or the like between the towing ship and the inoperative or debilitated vessel. The tow line is either directly connected to the rocket and thereby delivered to the target vessel or is coupled to a lighter line which, in turn, is directly attached to and carried by the rocket to the target. By reeling or hauling in the lighter line, the tow line is brought aboard the vessel to be towed. Understandably, the recovery-salvage operations often occur during adverse weather conditions and require highly accurate line delivery over exceedingly long ranges (e.g., 1000 yards). As can be readily seen, accurate line delivery is difficult to obtain because of the ranges involved in these operations and because of the significant rolling and pitching action sustained by the ship during the time that the adverse weather conditions prevail.

Although, in general, these prior art devices have performed satisfactorily under limited conditions of range and accuracy it has been determined that the presently existing requirements of reliability, range and accuracy cannot be met by these prior line-carrying rocket devices, particularly those utilizing a rigid external harness or bridle to connect the line to the rocket. It was found that the presence of this type harness assembly, in addition to increasing the number of parts associated with the linethrowing apparatus, significantly changed the aerodynamic characteristics of the rocket, per se, and created a substantial amount of drag in addition to the drag of the line attached thereto. Additionally, the harness assembly was often damaged and distorted during handling and this, of course, altered the aerodynamic configuration and trajectory of the rocket and caused the rocket to miss the target. The damaged harness also created the danger of the rocket being hung up in the launcher and misfiring thereby creating a safety hazard.

Prior art line-carrying devices also fall short of meeting the present requirements by reason of the use of eye- 3,468,214 Patented Sept. 23, 1969 ice balling techniques for aiming the rocket toward the target. The effectiveness of this technique depends, of course, on the experience of the personnel using the equipment and was found to be inadequate in meeting the aforesaid requirements of accuracy and range.

Summary of the invention Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved rocket propelled line-throwing apparatus for carrying the line to a distant location.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a rocket-type line-throwing apparatus which is highly reliable and capable of delivering a cable or line a considerable distance from the launching site.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a simplified rocket-type line-throwing apparatus which is capable of both carrying a line to a target positioned a considerable distance from the launching site and delivering the line with substantial accuracy.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rocket propelled line-throwing apparatus having a minimum of parts and a ballistic configuration of low drag characteristics and flight stability.

A still further object is to provide a simplified rockettype line-throwing apparatus which is capable of being attached to the barrel of a gun such that the gun training and elevating mechanisms associated therewith can be utilized to aim the rocket.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are attained by a line-carrying harness attached to the rear of a rocket in a manner permitting relative rotation between the line and rocket about a single axis and inhibiting relative rotation about an axis normal to the single axis. Also, according to the present invention, a slotted launching tube is provided which positions, guides and supports the rocket and harness prior to and during launch.

Brief description of the drawings A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in cross-section, of the rocket-type line-throwing apparatus according to the present invention with portions broken away for purposes of further clarity;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the harness assembly in an extended position and the connection thereof to the rear of the rocket motor with portions broken away for purposes of further clarity; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the line-throwing apparatus of the present invention is shown by general designation as consisting essentially of a rocket 10 positioned within and supported by a launcher assembly 20 which may be suspended from a gun barrel 30 by mounting brackets 40. The rocket 10 is interconnected to a trailing line 50 through a harness arrangement indicated generally at 60.

The rocket 10 may be a conventional type known in the rocket art such, for example, as the standard 2.75-inch FFAR military rocket. This rocket, in addition to other features, is equipped with a plurality of guidance fins secured to the rear of the rocket by a corresponding number of rearwardly disposed fin-retaining lugs. It is to be understood, of course, that the fins may be removed and that the propellant grain lengths and the nozzle ports of the rocket may be modified to enable use within the contemplated ranges and that a head may be provided having the appropriate ballistic configuration. Since certain of the details of the rocket, such as the igniter, head and rocket, motor, do not form part of the present invention, they have been eliminated from the drawings for the purpose of greater simplicity and clarity.

Referring again to FIG. 1 and also to FIG. 4, the rocket embodies a rocket motor 10a having an end cap or nozzle block 11 at the rear thereof which includes four pairs of rearwardly disposed lugs 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d positioned 90 from each other and located within the circumferential confines of the rocket. Diametrically disposed lugs 12a and 120 lie in a horizontal plane and in the present embodiment include roll pins 13a and 130, respectively, associated therewith.

Referring again to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the launcher assembly is illustrated as including an elongated, hollow tube member 21 having a foreward or muzzle end 21a and a rear or breech end 21b. A guide slot 25 formed along the length of tube 21. at the bottom thereof, as viewed in the use position of FIGS. 1 and 2, extends from the muzzle end 21a. to a terminal point 25a adjacent to and forwardly of the breech end 2117 and is of sufficient width to accommodate elements of the harness arrangement 60.

The rocket 10 is positioned within the launcher, as will be discussed more fully hereinafter, by a motor stop and guide member, such as bolt 27, which is bolted to the inside top surface of the tube 21 diametrically of the slot 25 and forwardly of the terminal point 25a thereof. The bolt 27 includes a chamfered head 2711 which extends into the tube 21 a distance sufiicient to engage the end cap 11 of the rocket 10 and is straddled by lugs 1212 when the rocket 10 is properly positioned with the launcher assembly 20. As viewed more clearly in FIG. 2, the adjacent lugs 12a and 120 are maintained in a horizontal plane when the lugs 12b are so positioned.

Tube 21 is formed at the rear thereof with an exhaust deflector such as a hollow elbow 29 having internal communication with the tube 21. This elbow 29 deflects the rocket exhaust downwardly and forwardly and, therefore, away from an operator who may be positioned at the rear of the launcher assembly at the time of launch. The exhaust is also deflected away from the mounting devices and gun barrel 30, described hereinafter, for precluding damage thereto.

Again viewing FIGS. 1 and 2, the launcher assembly 20 additionally includes mounting devices such as a pair of brackets generally indicated at and spaced adjacent the front and rear extremities of the launcher tube 21 for removably attaching the assembly 20 to a supporting surface such as the illustrated gun barrel 30. It is also contemplated that the gun barrel 30 be of the type wherein a sighting mechanism is associated therewith which may be utilized in aiming the launcher. It is to be understood that supporting structure other than the aforementioned may be used without departing from the scope of the invention and that the brackets may be adapted for cooperation with fire monitors, rails, booms and the like.

The brackets 40, only one of which will be described in detail in view of the identical nature thereof, consist of a pair of longitudinally spaced V blocks 41 rigidly attached to the top surface of the tube 21 by welding or the like and a clamping band 42 hingedly connected at one end thereof to one side of the V blocks 41 by a pin 43 extending therebetween. The other end of the band 42 is releasably and adjustably attached by a conventional device such as a T-headed bolt 44 and associated nut 44a to a plate 45 extending between and rigidly attached to the other side of the V blocks 41. Although not shown, it is to be understood that suitable resilient pads may be inserted between the otherwise touching surfaces of the bracket 40 and gun barrel 30. It further should be understood that the band 42 can be adjusted by nut 44a to position the tube 21 on the gun barrel 30 such that the axis of the gun bore and the tube 21 are parallel. Thus the gun training and elevating mechanisms, not shown, may be used by an operator to aim the rocket 10.

Line is protected from the rocket exhaust by an intermediate flame-proof, blast-proof connector, such for example as the harness arrangement 60, now to be described with reference to FIG. 3. The harness arrangement includes a tether which may be a single length of cable 61 of flexible, high strength, durable, heat resistant material, such as stranded steel or the like, which is doubled to form a closed loop 61a at one extremity and a pair of free ends 61b at the other extremity. A clevis member 63 and associated clevis pin 63a are attached to each free end 61b of cable 61 by looping the end 61b about the clevis pin 63a for rotation thereabout in a vertical plane and crimping the end 61b adjacent the clevis member 63 by use of a crimping sleeve 64 in a manner known in the art. It is to be understood, of course, that other appropriate means may be utilized to fasten the end 6112 of cable 61 to the clevis member 63 without departing from the scope of the present invention. The clevis members 63 are connected by lug pins 13a and to the diametrically disposed lugs 12a and 120, respectively, such that the axes of clevis pins 630 are coincident and lie in a horizontal plane when the rocket 10 is properly positioned within the launch tube 21.

The'cable 61 is enveloped over a portion of its length by a pair of hose members 66 formed of flexible insulating material, such as braided Teflon or the like, which are fastened at one end thereof adjacent the sleeve 64 by a tubular connector 67 of appropiate material, such as steel, swaged over the sleeve 64 and the hose 66. An additional sleeve 68 is crimped over the doubled portion of the cable 61 adjacent the other end of the hose 66 and retains the latter in position, while still additional crimping sleeves 68a are positioned at intervals over the length of the doubled portion of the cable 61 to hold the cable together. The looped end 61a of the cable 61 is formed with a bearing thimble 69 to which the line 50 is connected by approprate means, not shown.

The line 50, which is the line carried by the rocket 10 to the distant target may be the tow line, per se, or a lighter line to which the tow line is attached. Nevertheless, the line 50 is of appropriate length and diameter and is constructed of flexible, strong, weather resistant material such as twisted nylon line or the like which may be waxed to improve handling qualities. One end of the line 50 is attached to the harness arrangement 60 in any convenient manner, not illustrated, and at a position, as viewed in FIG. 1, such that the line will be sufficiently removed from the rocket exhaust to prevent damage thereto.

The other end of line 50 is fastened to the towing ship, not shown, in any convenient manner while the remaining portion of line 50 may be stowed in any appropriate way which ensures that the line does not become tangled during the high rate of payout thereof. For example, the line may be stowed in a square box in a braided format with the line placed in a series of horizontal layers filling the interior of the box and with the line of each layer running perpendicular to the line of the preceeding layer. The box is positioned below the launcher tube 21 and removed from the direction of the exhaust emanating from the elbow 29.

In operation, the launcher assembly is clamped to the gun barrel 3'0 and adjusted by bolts 44 and nuts 44a such that the axis of the gun 30 and the axis of the tube 21 are parallel. The rocket 10 and attached harness 60 are slid into the tube 21 with the harness cable 61 depending from the rocket 10 and extending through the guide slot 25. It is to be understood, that the slot 25 accommodates the cable 61 in a manner to ensure a close fit therebetween but is of sufiicient width to preclude the cable 61 from becoming jammed in the slot as the cable 61 travels along the slot during the launch phase. The cooperation of cable 61 and slot 25 aids in guiding the rocket 10 and the lugs 12b of end cap 11 into position against the stop member 27 which member both prevents pushing the rocket too far into the launcher and keeps the axes of the clevis pin 63 in a horizontal plane. Any forces tending to rotate the rocket 10 within the tube 21 will be restrained by the engagement of the intermediate lugs 12b with the stop member 27 and the engagement of the cable 61 and the edge of slot 25. It is this latter engagement which maintains the position of the rocket 10 during the launch thereof from the tube 21.

When the rocket 10 and harness 60 are properly positioned, the line 50 is tied or otherwise connected to the thimble 69 of the harness 60. The gun barrel 30 and tube 21 are sighted and the rocket 10 fired by an appropriate firing mechanism, not shown.

As the rocket 10 travels toward the target, the line 50 is payed out from the stowed positio'n and is streamed behind the rocket 10. The stability of the rocket 10 is maintained by the streamed line 50 and in particular the connection of the cable 61 of the harness 60 to the clevis pin 63a. It is this connection which permits relative rotative movement of the rocket 10 and line 50 about a horizontal axis but inhibits rotation about a vertical axis. This, in turn, ensures that the rocket 10 and line 50 maintain the proper line-of-flight.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for accurately throwing a line from a launching site to a distant target comprising:

a rocket;

a pair of rearwardly extending, diametrically disposed connecting means attached to the rear of said rocket within the circumferential confines thereof;

flexible harness means for joining the line to said rocket, said harness means connected to said connecting means and pivotally movable about a single coincident axis extending through said pair of rearwardly extending connecting means for inhibiting any relative rotation between said rocket and line about an axis normal to both said single axis and the line of flight of said rocket when in flight;

said harness means comprising flexible tether means having at least two ends, a respective one of each being connected to a respective one of each of said connecting means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said tether means includes a cable having two ends and a looped portion intermediate of said ends,

and coupling means attached to said looped portion for connecting the line to said cable.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including:

tube means for supporting and directing said rocket during launch;

means defining a longitudinal slot in said tube means extending along a portion of the length thereof;

said slot adapted to accommodate the passage of portions of said harness therethrough when said rocket is positioned in said launcher, and also therealong when said rocket is being launched.

4. Apparatus for throwing a line from a launching site to a distant target comprising:

a rocket;

said rocket having a pair of rearwardly extending, di-

ametrically disposed lugs and an additional lug spaced from said pair of lugs;

intermediate means connected to said lugs for joining the line to said rocket;

said intermediate means interconnected with said connecting means for rotation about a single axis thereby inhibiting any relative rotation between said rocket and line about an axis normal to said single axis when said rocket is in flight;

a launching tube for enclosing and supporting said rocket, said launching tube having a forward end and a rear end;

a longitudinal slot in said launching tube extending along a portion of the length thereof;

said intermediate means extending through said slot when said rocket is in said launching tube;

guide means secured to said launcher tube and extending inwardly thereof for engaging said additional lug when said rocket is properly positioned in said launcher;

clamping means secured to said launching tube for attaching said launching tube to a supporting surface;

and deflector means attached to said rear end of said launching tube for deflecting the rocket blast in a direction radially of said tube.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein:

said longitudinal slot is formed at the bottom of said launching tube and extends from said forward end thereof to a point adjacent said rear end thereof,

and wherein said guide means is positioned adjacent said rear end of said tube and diametrically opposite said longitudinal slot.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said intermediate means further includes:

a cable;

fastening means secured to each of said lugs;

said cable pivotally connected at each end thereof to one of said fastening means for movement about a single coincident axis;

and coupling means attached intermediate said ends of said cable for connecting the line to said cable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,521,655 9/1950 Schermuly et al. 102-89 2,790,352 4/1957 Jewett et al. 891.817 2,848,925 8/1958 Hood 89-1.806 2,876,702 3/1959 Wheelwright et al. 89--19 X 3,333,540 8/1967 Clark et al 102-89 X SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 891; 102-89 

